Classic Review – The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald (4/5 stars)

I had heard a lot of great things about The Great Gatsby but never read it before and was eager to finally read it.  It was well done and an easy read even after all this time.

The tale is told by the neighbor of Gatsby.  It is a twisted tale of adultery and adoration.  Some say it is the quintessential American novel.  Gatsby’s neighbor tell us of Gatsby’s quest to win a married woman’s, Daisy’s, heart.  Daisy struggles with a husband who cheats on her with another woman and she married him for money.  The whole tale ends in a tragedy not unlike a Greek play.

The tale was an easy and quick read and fairly engaging.  Fitzgerald does an excellent job describing the era and the surroundings, making everything easy for the reader to picture.

The story quickly gets twisted and complicated with various characters involved with other characters that they aren’t supposed to be with.  The tragic ending is strangely ironic and suiting of all the selfish characters present.

I can understand how some might root for Gatsby and Daisy and their supposed quest for true love; but personally I found all of the characters to be selfish, shallow and deserving of what they got in the end.  This tale truly shows an era of American decadence.

Overall a decent read and I am glad that I read this.  I loved the ironic symmetry of the story, but didn’t really enjoy any of the characters much.  The story is paced well, has great description throughout, and is engaging.  I wouldn’t run out and read everything by Fitzgerald based on this book, but I enjoyed this book and am glad I can say I finally read this.

This book goes towards the following reading challenges:

– 100+ Reading Challenge